Erik ten Hag told the raucous Old Trafford faithful that Manchester United have a “really good chance” of winning the FA Cup and ending Manchester City’s treble charge.
Having wrapped up Champions League qualification by beating Chelsea on Thursday, the Red Devils sealed third spot in the Premier League on the final day of the campaign.
United bounced back from Kenny Tete’s early header as David De Gea saved Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty before Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes sealed a 2-1 comeback win against Fulham.
The players were given a fantastic reception at full-time and, after presenting De Gea with the Golden Glove trophy, boss Ten Hag made an impassioned speech to fans.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to our players,” he told the stadium. “I think they played a brilliant season.
“They are also supported by the staff. I want to say thank you to the staff.
“Secondly, I want to thank you (the fans) all. We fought really strong during the season at Old Trafford and away.
“I want to thank you for the season and your contribution backing us, for the support – it was great, so thank you.
“But there is still one game to go and I am sure that these players will give everything to beat Manchester City next week.
“If you have our back, I’m sure we have a really good chance to take the cup back to Old Trafford.”
Those comments were met by a huge roar that will increase further still if Ten Hag’s men can beat City at Wembley next Saturday and add the FA Cup to February’s Carabao Cup success.
“You have always a chance in football,” Ten Hag said in the post-match press conference.
“The history shows we beat them in January but I think Man United in the last couple of years beat City many times.
“So, these players know when they play at their levels that they can compete.
“It’s obvious we play against probably – at this moment – the best team, but still there is a chance and we have to go for the chance and we have to give everything.
“We can’t be after the game finding excuses for ourselves. I’m sure we will play a good game on Saturday.”
Ten Hag knows United have to step up after making a sloppy start against Fulham, saying De Gea’s penalty save woke them up.
The United boss again reiterated that he expected the long-serving Spain goalkeeper to extend his contract beyond the end of the season, before seemingly taking a dig at the owners’ backing.
Fans called for the Glazers to leave throughout – as they always do – and Ten Hag said he did not get investment like their top-four rivals in January.
The United boss, who was only able to make loan moves for Jack Butland, Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer, said: “The club knows if you want to play top four, compete for trophies in this tough league, then you have to invest.
“Otherwise you don’t have a chance because other clubs will do.
“We have seen it in the winter that all the clubs around us made huge investments. We didn’t and still we made it, so I’m really happy and proud of my team.”
As for Fulham, they displayed heart at Old Trafford at the end of an impressive season that saw them finish 10th after promotion from the Championship.
Head coach Marco Silva said: “We had very good moments during the game.
“Unfortunately for us, not really consistent during all the match but the way we started we were beginning to control the game.
“We were leading the score and I think it was well deserved because we showed the composure and quality to play, to control most of the moments.
“Of course we had the chance to make it 2-0 and give us even more confidence and create a much-more difficult score for them.
“De Gea saved and of course it was a moment that boosted them. You could feel is straight away in the stadium.
“These are the moments we have to show our maturity, to show more consistency.”
Arnett Gardens join forces with Dream Entertainment to enhance club's brand
Arnett Gardens FC and Dream Entertainment have announced a groundbreaking partnership that will see the Dream Team providing strategic and managerial guidance to the club for the upcoming Jamaica Premier League (JPL) campaign and beyond.
Member of Parliament and chairman of Arnett Gardens, Mark Golding, explained that the partnership is aimed at providing financial stability and a more sustainable future for the club. This as the Dream Team’s expertise is expected to boost the brand and image of the South St Andrew-based club.
“I was seeking a commercial partner to guide strategy and manage the club forward to new revenue and achieve financial sustainability. Arnett has been a leading brand in football, a much-loved and much-supported club not just in the community where it is based, but the wider Jamaica and indeed the diaspora and beyond,” Golding said during a press conference on Monday.
“We were very happy to have met some like-minded business people at Dream Entertainment who have established themselves in the field of entertainment as innovators,” he added.
Like Golding, Scott Dunn, group managing director of Dream Entertainment, pointed out that the partnership will be mutually beneficial, as it provides a greater platform for Arnett to reap success on and off the field of play, as well as an avenue for the Dream Team to expand their influence.
“Football is entertainment, and we believe we can improve upon that entertainment product. The entertainment value of coming to an Arnett Gardens football match is going to be bigger and better.
“Anything I do, I am all in, and my team is definitely the same way. This is not something that is periphery or a side thing for Dream Entertainment, this is now a primary part of our business,” Dunn shared.
He continued: “Arnett Gardens is an iconic community. From Junior Reid singing about Jungle to a million artists thereafter, it is a big community and the surrounding communities as well. Trench Town, in terms of tourism, is a bigger brand than Kingston.
“For the fans in the community, this is something that is going to build the community. For the fans internationally and those who are already with Arnett, this is going to rebuild that excitement and bring in a whole host of new fans.”
Jonathan Grant open Manning Cup season with 9-0 hammering of Gaynstead in Zone B; KC held to 2-2 draw by Penwood in Zone C
Jonathan Grant High took the early lead in Zone B of the 2024 ISSA Manning Cup thanks to a 9-0 hammering of Gaynstead High at the Papine High School field on Monday.
The 1999 Walker Cup champions lead defending Manning Cup title holders Mona High by two goals on goal difference after the first round of matches in Zone B.
In the other Zone B game on Monday, three-time Manning Cup champions Charlie Smith defeated Tarrant High 4-0 at Jacisera Park.
In Zone C, 16-time winners Kingston College had a disappointing start to their season with a 2-2 draw against Penwood High at Maverley Field.
Campion College took the early lead in Zone C thanks to a 4-0 win over Cumberland High at Cumberland while Jose Marti scored a big win of their own, 5-2 over Meadowbrook at Meadowbrook, to slot in at second on goal difference.
Tivoli Gardens High took the early lead in Zone D thanks to a 4-1 win over Denham Town High at Tivoli.
10-time Manning Cup winners Wolmer’s Boys also opened their season with a win, 3-1 over St. Jago High at St. Jago.
St. Mary’s College and Edith Dalton James High played out a 1-1 draw in the day’s other Zone D encounter.
Indonesia 0-0 Australia: Wasteful Socceroos play out stalemate
Australia's wastefulness in front of goal cost them in World Cup qualifying once more as they drew 0-0 with Indonesia on Tuesday.
Nestory Irankunda came closest for the Socceroos, hitting the woodwork, as Graham Arnold's side failed to pick up their first win in the third round of the 2026 AFC World Cup qualifiers.
Indonesia had an early flurry of chances, with Sandy Walsh and Rafael Struick both testing Mat Ryan inside the opening 17 seconds.
Australia dominated after that though, with Harry Souttar seeing a couple of efforts saved in quick succession before Irankunda struck the woodwork from range just after the half-hour mark.
The visitors pushed for an opening in the second half but struggled to create many chances of note as Craig Goodwin had Australia's only shot on target after the break.
Witan Sulaeman almost snatched it at the end, but missed a glorious chance in the dying seconds, poking a close-range shot wide of the near post under no pressure.
Data Debrief: Socceroos fire another blank
Australia suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Bahrain in their last match, with a Souttar own goal compounding their misery that day.
And their lack of a clinical edge cost them once more against Indonesia, as they had 19 shots (five on target); they last recorded more without scoring against the United Arab Emirates in January 2019 in the Asian Cup (22).
Meanwhile, Indonesia's defence stayed resolute, but they offered little in terms of attacking threat, managing only two shots on target, which both came within a second of each other.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
